OPHI Workshop on Weighting in Multidimensional Poverty Measures

In constructing multidimensional poverty measures, it is possible to apply weights a) in aggregating variables within one dimension; b) in aggregating across dimensions; c) in aggregating across people. At each point of aggregation, we need to determine the parameters that define the marginal contribution of each indicator, dimension, or individual to the overall well-being (or deprivation), taking into consideration also the possible interconnections among them.

OPHI’s May 2008 workshop will consider a number of techniques to set weights for multidimensional measures. These include:

Participatory and expert-based approaches;

Survey-based methods to elicit directly people’s preferences (standard gamble, visual analogues, and willingness to pay) or making use of subjective-well-being surveys;

The overall goal of the workshop is to identify the technical and conceptual strengths and weaknesses of each weighting technique, to clarify which techniques are best suited to set weights in which contexts of multidimensional poverty measurement, and how such weights are to be verified. A related theme, also explored, will be the robustness tests directed to assess the sensibility of results to different weights within a given technique and across methods.

OPHI gratefully acknowledges support from the International Development Research Council (IDRC) Canada, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA); and the Global Equity Initiative, Harvard University for this event.